1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk playback apparatus, and particularly relates to a structure for certainly transporting a disk to a normal chucking position on a playback means. The present invention also relates to a disk changer device and a disk magazine device which are preferable for use in such a disk playback apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a disk apparatus such as a CD (Compact Disk) player of the type wherein a magazine adapted to accommodate a plurality of disks is loaded therein and a disk selected by a user from the plural disks is automatically selected and played thereby is increasing from a standpoint of improving a sense of use by simplifying disk exchange operations of the user as far as possible. In order to reproduce plural disks sequentially at a common disk playback section for reproducing information recorded on each of the disks, the disk apparatus such as mentioned above is configured to fetch a desired disk from the loaded magazine, transport the disk to playback means, and return the disk into the magazine after completion of the reproduction.
Particularly, some of the above mentioned disk apparatuses employ a system using a magazine which accommodates plural disk holders, each of which holds therein one disk, in an arrangement where respective holders can be drawn out independently, and performing a loading operation of a disk from the inside of the magazine to the playback position and an ejecting operation of the disk from the playback position into the magazine by simply moving back and forth the holder. In the disk apparatus based on this system, the disk holder holding therein a selected disk is transported to a position nearby the disk playback section by the moving forth operation, and returned into the magazine by the moving back operation after the disk is received in a predetermined playback position. In order to eject a disk when exchanging the disk with another one, when the magazine is ejected, or the like, the empty disk holder is transported to a position nearby the disk playback section with the moving forth operation, then the disk holder is returned into the magazine with the disk held therein by the moving back operation after the disk at the playback position is recovered in the holder.
FIG. 28 is a flowchart for explaining operating procedures of the disk playback apparatus having the system such as mentioned above by way of example. As shown in FIG. 28, when a magazine is inserted (Step 110), disk checking operation for determining existence of a disk is carried out using some appropriate processes (Step 120). Subsequently, if a user instructs to reproduce the disk (Step 130), then the disk holder accommodating therein the disk corresponding to the playback instruction is drawn out from the magazine and transported to a loading position nearby a playback unit, thereby the disk held in the disk holder is transported to a predetermined chucking position on the playback unit (Step 140), then the disk is chucked at he chucking position on the playback unit (Step 150), only the empty disk holder is returned into the magazine (Step 160), and the disk is reproduced (Step 170).
If an instruction to reproduce another disk is directed by the user during Step 170 of reproducing the disk (Step 180), then the empty holder for the disk in reproduction is drawn out from the magazine (Step 190), the disk in reproduction is inserted into this empty disk (Step 200), and the disk holder accommodating therein the disk is returned into the magazine (Step 210), then control returns to Step 140 for drawing out the disk holder in which the specified another disk is accommodated.
If an instruction to eject the magazine is directed by the user during Step 170 of reproducing the disk (Step 220), then the empty holder corresponding to the disk in reproduction is drawn out from the magazine (Step 230), the disk in reproduction is inserted into this empty disk (Step 240), and the disk holder accommodating therein the disk is returned into the magazine (Step 250), then the magazine is ejected (Step 260).
In the conventional disk playback apparatus as in the foregoing, the disk holder is typically transported by using a holder drawing member which can reciprocate in the horizontal direction, and moving the holder drawing member by engaging a fingernail-shaped projection disposed on the holder drawing member with an engaging section disposed at one end of the disk holder. During transporting the disk holder as mentioned above, if the disk is not sufficiently inserted into the disk holder or the disk is displaced from the normal accommodation position of the disk holder, when the disk holder reaches a normal loading position of the playback means, the disk is displaced from the normal chucking position on the playback means.
In this case, subsequent disk chucking operation can not be properly performed, which may induce a poor chucking condition. If disk reproduction operation is carried out under such bad chucking conditions as mentioned above, the quality of the disk reproduction may become poor. Further, as the disk can not be sufficiently inserted into the disk holder when recovering the disk into the disk holder, there is a possibility that the disk can not be recovered.
The abovementioned operations of loading a disk into the playback position or ejecting a disk into the magazine in the disk playback apparatus are both performed by a device called "disk changer".
By the way, in the magazine for use in the conventional disk changer as in the foregoing, disk holders are inserted from an aperture of the magazine into a predetermined accommodation position within the magazine. At this time, if the insertion is insufficient, the holder may be accommodated in the magazine with the holder protruding outward beyond the predetermined accommodation position. When the disk holder protrudes outward beyond the predetermined accommodation position of the disk holder, it can become impossible to transport the disk holder.
Thus, in the case that the disk holder is transported by engaging a fingernail-shaped projection provided at the holder drawing member with an engaging section provided on one end of the disk holder as mentioned above, the projection of the holder drawing member is disposed to meet the position of the engaging section of the disk holder stored in a predetermined accommodation position within the magazine. Therefore, if the disk holder protrudes outward beyond the predetermined accommodation position in the magazine, the engaging section can not be engaged with the protrusion of the holder drawing member, and it can become impossible to transport the disk. Alternately, a part of the disk holder protruding outward improperly engages with the holder or any other part of the mechanism, which may results in subsequent defective performance. There exist the abovementioned disadvantages similarly when using the magazine which accommodates a disk tray of the type of placing thereon a disk as well as when using the magazine which accommodate a disk holder of the type of holding a disk as a disk holding unit.
Among various types of conventional disk changer devices, some disk changer devices in which the loading direction of the magazine and the drawing-out direction of the disk holder are same are specifically called as "end loading type disk changer device".
FIG. 27 is a plan view showing an end loading type on-vehicle disk changer device by way of example. As shown in FIG. 27, a magazine 202 which is inserted through a magazine insertion opening L is loaded in a magazine loading position which is disposed in the left hand part of the figure in the chassis 201 of the disk changer device. The magazine 202 accommodate plural disk holders 203 which are arranged in a vertical stack. Each disk holder 203 accommodates one disk which is inserted thereto in the direction parallel to the main surface of the disk holder 203, and slidably loaded into the magazine 202. An engaging section 203a for drawing out the disk holder 203 is disposed at one end of the disk holder 203.
A lift unit 205 is disposed in the chassis 201 of the device as shown in the right-hand part of the figure and supported to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the chassis 201. The lift unit 205 is a combination of a holder drawing member 206 for drawing out the disk holder 203 and a playback unit 207 for reproducing a disk 204.
Among these components, the holder drawing member 206 is mounted on a chassis not shown of the lift unit 205 to be movable in the disk transporting direction, i.e. a horizontal direction in the figure, and a fingernail-shaped projection 203a which engages with the engaging section 203a is provided at one end of the holder drawing member 206.
The lift unit 205 is moved upward or downward according to a disk selection instruction in order to adjust the height of the holder drawing member 206 to be flush with the disk holder 203 accommodating therein the selected disk 204. On the other hand, the playback unit 207 comprises a drive plate 209 having a rotatable turntable 208 on which the disk 204 is mounted, a clamp arm 210 for chucking the disk 204 on the turntable 208, and the like.
The chassis 201 of the device is contained in an outer case 211, supported against the outer case 211 via a damper 212, and therefore provides a structure which enables isolation from the vehicle vibrations.
By the way, the disk changer device shown in FIG. 27 as described in the foregoing transports the disk holder 203 by engaging the engaging section 203a of the disk holder 203 with the fingernail shaped projection 206a of the holder drawing member 206 and moving the holder drawing member 206 rightward in figure. During transporting the disk holder 203 as mentioned above, in the case that the disk 204 is insufficiently inserted into the disk holder 203 and the disk 204 protrudes beyond the normal accommodation position in the disk holder 203, the disk 204 is displaced from the normal chucking position if the disk holder 203 reaches the normal loading position of the playback unit 207.
In this case, subsequent disk chucking operation may not be properly performed, which may induce a poor chucking condition. If disk reproduction operation is carried out under such bad chucking conditions as mentioned above, the quality of the disk reproduction may be degraded. Further, when recovering the disk 204 into the disk holder 203, there is a possibility that the disk 204 can not be sufficiently inserted into the disk holder 203 and, as a result, the recovery is failed.
Particularly, as shown in FIG. 27, compared with the other type disk changer devices, the end loading type disk changer device in which the loading direction of the magazine 202 and the drawing direction of the disk holder 203 is identical has a higher possibility that the disk 204 accommodated in the disk holder 203 or the disk holder 203 is popped out from the magazine 202 when the magazine 202 is forcefully inserted into the device. And at worst, it is thought that inconvenience such that the popped-out disk from the magazine 202 is dropped in the device is thought.